1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel synergistic herbal composition for providing beneficial effects to the respiratory tract of a mammal. In particular, the herbal composition may be used for preventing and treating cough. The herbs in the present invention include Colt's Foot, Mangosteen, Thyme Leaf, Wild Cherry Bark, Quercitin, Sundew, Butterbur, and Grape Seed Extract.
2. Background of the Invention
Disorders of the respiratory tract, such as nasal congestion, cough, wheezing, and breathing difficulties are common occurrences. For example, cough is the number one reason that patients seek medical attention, estimated to be over 30 million office visits per year in the United States alone. The act of coughing is a protective reflex. However, persistent cough is abnormal and is due to either a single medical cause (e.g., Upper Respiratory Infection [URI]) or multiple causes (e.g., chronic post nasal drainage, gastroesophageal reflux, asthma, etc.). Coughing can dramatically affect one's quality of life when it becomes excessive and/or profound. Also, the financial burden of people coughing can be staggering, due to the purchase of expensive medications, as well as need for multiple office visits and medical testing/procedures.
It has been demonstrated that over the counter cough suppressants and expectorants have proven to be ineffective. Furthermore, many of these medications have been demonstrated to cause adverse side effects, especially in children. The only prescription cough medicine proven to be beneficial, according to The American College of Chest Physicians, is codeine. However, it has been documented that prescribed codeine derivative products suppress cough only at doses that cause side effects, such as gastrointestinal constipation, sedation, and respiratory depression. It becomes apparent that there remain few, if any, pharmaceutical products, commercially available, that have been found to actually benefit the respiratory tract.
On the other hand, there has been a surge in those interested in the benefits of herbal medicine. Even though patients may welcome herbal treatments for cough enthusiastically, sound evidence for their efficacy has been lacking.
Herbal products, in the form of nutritional supplements, have been used for centuries to treat medical disorders. Since a void exists for therapeutic products that actually work to support the respiratory tract, the use of herbal alternatives has gained greater attention. Furthermore, recent data has suggested that combinations of herbal supplements, such as has been used in traditional Chinese medicine, can provide benefits to the respiratory tract. Allergic rhinitis and asthma, for example, have been shown to improve when herbal products are combined. However, there has, as yet, been no scientific examination of the effect of herbal ingredient combinations specifically for cough.